Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Introduce Legislation to Hold Postal Service Accountable for Delayed and Undelivered Mail
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN) introduced legislation to improve the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) delivery tracking and accountability systems following concerning reports of serious mail delays across Minnesota. Congresswoman Angie Craig (D – MN2) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives in October. This legislation would address a serious issue at USPS—that they cannot accurately track when mail routes do not receive deliveries. A 2022 USPS Inspector General report found that the data USPS collects is based on self-reporting, which the investigation found to be consistently inaccurate. As a result, USPS itself does not know which routes are undelivered or partially delivered or how many such routes exist. The Postal Delivery Accountability Act would require the USPS to address this systemic issue by implementing the Inspector General’s two recommendations: “When postal service is unreliable, Minnesotans can face serious consequences – from late payment fees and social security checks to days without critical prescription medications. Yet when I ask the Postal Service for information on these disruptions, they tell me everything is fine. The reality is that they don’t even know themselves,” said Senator Smith. “As an essential public service, USPS owes its customers transparency. The Postal Delivery Accountability Act is a step toward that goal.” “Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service to deliver their prescriptions, Social Security checks, and more. They deserve timely service, and when the Postal Service fails to meet the mark, at the very least customers should be notified. The Postal
Senator Smith Takes to Senate Floor to Share How Childcare Crisis is Hurting Minnesotans, Urge Action from Congress
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a number of her colleagues, led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), in speaking on the Senate floor about how the worsening childcare crisis is hurting families and local economies in every state—and stressing the need to address the crisis by acting on President Biden’s supplemental funding request to extend important stabilization funds. Joining Senators Smith and Murray were Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden, (D-OR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “Childcare is one of the top issues I hear about from Minnesotans. I hear from families who have to drive more than 50 miles to get their kids to childcare, families who are spending more than one-third of their household income on the cost of care for two kids. No one is well-served by our current childcare system,” said Senator Smith on the Senate floor. “We know that the programs stabilizing the sector worked. We know how much they helped parents and how much they benefited our economy. We must provide additional funding for childcare in a future supplemental to help providers stay afloat, allow parents to continue working, and keep children in quality care. Throughout her time in the Senate, Senator Smith has led efforts to expand access to childcare. In addition to leading the push to stabilize the childcare sector, this year she has introduced bipartisan legislation to bring more childcare to more agricultural and rural communities. She has also supports a host of bills to reform our childcare system, including the Child Care for Working
Sen. Tina Smith Stands up for Minnesota Jobs & American Energy Independence, Presses White House to Preserve Strong Renewable Fuel Standard
U.S. Senator Tina Smith is calling on the White House to support Minnesota’s rural communities and American energy independence by maintaining a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the federal program that sets the level of biofuels—like ethanol and biodiesel—that are blended into our nation’s fuel supply. After a series of postponed meetings between the White House and U.S. biofuel producers—sparking fears that there may be an attempt to weaken the RFS—Sen. Smith is urging the Administration’s top energy officials to come together with renewable energy leaders and discuss how to preserve and protect the program. “I fought for a spot
Sen. Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Help Tribal Communities Address Opioid Epidemic
Ahead of a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing today on the opioid crisis in Indian Country, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith introduced a bill to help tribal communities in Minnesota and across the country access the resources they need to support people who are struggling with mental illness or substance use disorders. Tribal communities have been hit hard by the opioid epidemic. According to a leading health agency, American Indians and Alaska Natives experience the highest drug overdose death rates. However, many tribal communities don’t have the resources they need to tackle this public health crisis. Sen. Smith’s Native Behavioral Health Access
Sen. Tina Smith Presses Veterans Department to Explain Life-Endangering Failures in New Digital Health System
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith called on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to explain several serious issues with a digital health system designed for clinics and hospitals that treat millions of veterans and service members. The system, which is being tested right now at a handful of military hospitals and is set to be scaled up nationwide in the years to come, has been mired so far by glitches and dangerous errors that put patients at risk. According to a report from Politico, the initial rollout of the MHS Genesis EHR system has resulted in substantial slowdowns, serious medical errors, and a
Senator Tina Smith Urges Agriculture Department to Hear From Minnesotans as Part of Fight to Combat Opioid Epidemic
U.S. Senator Tina Smith is continuing her push to address the opioid epidemic by calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to host a rural opioid misuse roundtable in Minnesota. This comes after introducing a bill last week to help tribes across the country access the resources they need to address mental health and substance use disorders. Earlier this month, the USDA announced it will be holding a series of monthly meetings on opioids in Pennsylvania, Utah, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Maine. Sen. Smith understands the toll the opioid and drug overdose epidemic is having on families and rural communities across Minnesota, and that’s
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